What happens when a woman survives the violence done to her — and the state punishes her for it? 

This week, Investigative journalists ⁠⁠Mandy Matney⁠⁠ and ⁠Liz Farrell⁠⁠ sit down with award-winning investigative journalist Justine van der Leun to talk about her new book, Unreasonable Women: Three Stories of Violence, Imprisonment, and Extraordinary Survival. 

Over seven years, Justine mailed surveys to more than ten thousand incarcerated women and uncovered a pattern she calls “criminalized survival”: women who fought back against abusers, then watched the same system that failed to protect them work overtime to lock them away. 

Through the stories of Tanisha, Jema, and TC — and the framing case of Nikki Addimando — she exposes the “reasonable man” standard quietly stacked against every woman who ever had to defend herself.

☕ Cups Up! ⚖️

Episode References

Meet the Marvelous Justine van der Leun & find where to buy her new book “Unreasonable Women” 📖

Give Justine a follow on Instagram, Threads, or TikTok 🌐

Read more about Nikki Addimando’s Case & listen to Believe Her Podcast 🎧

“Not Another Victim - I’m an Empowered Survivor Defendant” - Marissa Alexander’s TedTalk 🎞️

“Woman face harsher punishments when it comes to self-defense laws” - APA, April 1, 2025 📰

“No Choice but to Do It” - Pulitzer Center, Dec 17, 2020 📰

Stay Tuned, Stay Pesky and Stay in the Sunlight...☀️

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